Cape Council of Policy
3
1652-01-20
Minute details
- Entry number
- 3
- Date
- 1652-01-20
- Year
- 1652
English translation
Since we have arrived, with good fortune and a reasonably healthy crew, at a latitude of approximately 18.5 degrees north, and such a longitude that we (keeping this progress) hope to sight the South or Cabo Verde Islands tomorrow morning, with God's blessing, at which good refreshments and adequate water are available, Chief Merchant Jan van Riebeecq has consulted with the Broad Council and the captains of the ships Rejjger and Hope to come on board before we reach them, so that we can learn in time whether any of them were also laden with any sick crew on their ships, and therefore it might be necessary and advisable to call at some of these islands: to refresh the people there with the least delay, because this refreshment place will be astonishing, no other can be arrived at without great delay, and if left until Cabo Boa Esperance, the people might be weakened by lack of food to such an extent that they would hardly be able to carry out the necessary work on the fortress to be built, etc. And therefore, when arriving at the Cape, it might be necessary to stop there for a few days first to refresh them before sailing. were authorized to begin the work, which nevertheless must begin first. This could perhaps be achieved now (since antiquity has not yet taken root among the people) with 2 to 4 days of laying and refreshments without noticeable loss on these islands, and then, arriving so fresh at the Cape, the work could first commence. Furthermore, the ships Drommedaris and Reijger will reach Batavia the sooner, because the stronger and healthier the crew we bring to the Cape, the sooner and better the work we have to do there can be completed.
Taking these and other necessary considerations into account, and having learned that all the crew of the three ships were still fit, healthy, and sound, it was decided, after thorough deliberation and discussion of all matters of concern, with good consultation and unanimous agreement, to approach the aforementioned islands and do our best to further our intended journey to Cabo de Boa Esperance as soon as possible, without searching for any other land or port (if possible), in the hope that the Almighty will preserve our healthy crew and grant us a prosperous voyage. Amen.
Thus done and arrested in the ship the Drommedaris, on the day and year of the month.5
[Signed:] JOHAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1652.
[Signed:] DAVIT CONINCK.
[Signed:] JAN HOOCHSAET.
[Signed:] SYMEN TURVER.
[Signed:] P. v. HELM, Secrets.
Taking these and other necessary considerations into account, and having learned that all the crew of the three ships were still fit, healthy, and sound, it was decided, after thorough deliberation and discussion of all matters of concern, with good consultation and unanimous agreement, to approach the aforementioned islands and do our best to further our intended journey to Cabo de Boa Esperance as soon as possible, without searching for any other land or port (if possible), in the hope that the Almighty will preserve our healthy crew and grant us a prosperous voyage. Amen.
Thus done and arrested in the ship the Drommedaris, on the day and year of the month.5
[Signed:] JOHAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1652.
[Signed:] DAVIT CONINCK.
[Signed:] JAN HOOCHSAET.
[Signed:] SYMEN TURVER.
[Signed:] P. v. HELM, Secrets.
Original Dutch transcription
Alsoo wij jegenwoordigh Gode Loff met redelijcke voorspoet ende tamelijck gesont volcq sijn gecomen op de hooghte van stijff 18 1/2 graden noorder breete ende sodanige lenghte dat wij (dese voortgangh behoudende) verhopen morgen met Godt de voorste de Soute offte Cabo Verdese Eijlanden in ‘t gesight te crijgen, aen de welcke goede ververssinge ende water bequaemelijck te becomen is, Soo is de oppercoopman Jan van Riebeecq te rade geworden eer wij deselve verbij geraecken, den Breeden Raedt en de opperhooffden van de schepen Rejjger ende Hope aen boort te laten comen omme noch bij tijdts te vernemen off oock ijmandt van de selve op hare schepen met eenigh sieck volcq beladen ware, ende dierhalven nodigh ende geraden mochte sijn eenige van dese eijlanden aen te doen: om ‘t volcq aldaer met ‘t minste verlet wat te verversschen, want dese verversschplaetse verbijseijlende geen andere sonder groot verleth meer aen te comen sullen sijn, ende tot Cabo Boa Esperance latende voortstaen, ‘t volcq door outheijt van spijse wel sodanigh mochten verswacken dat quaelijck machtigh souden wesen, den vereijsschenden arbeijt aen de te maecken fortresse &a. te doen, Ende daeromme aen de Caep comende wel nodigh mogen wesen eerst eenige dagen aldaer stil te leggen omme deselve alvoren wat te verversschen eer sijl. machtigh wierden aen den arbeijt te gaen, die nochtans ten eersten aenvangh dient te nemen, ‘t welck nu (vermits de outheijt noch geen wortel in ‘t volcq heefft) misschien soude cunnen met 2 a 4 dagens leggens4 ende ververssens sonder merckelijck versuijm aen dese eijlanden voorgecomen, ende dan alsoo fris aen de Caep comende, ten eersten met ‘t wercken aengevangen worden: mitsgaders de schepen Drommedaris ende Reijger te eerder na Batavia geraecken, want hoe cloecker ende gesonder volcq dat wij aen de Caep brengen, hoe eerder ende beter dat ons te doene werck aldaer sal cunnen affgedaen worden.
Dese, ende meer andere nodige consideratien in bedencken geleijt ende vernomen sijnde, dat alle het volcq van de drie schepen noch fris cloeck ende gesont waeren, Is, na rijpe deliberatien ende conferentien van alles dat bedenckelijck was met goet overlegh bij eenparigheijt van stemmen verstaen, de gemelte eijlanden verbij te lopen ende ons beste te doen om op ‘t spoedighste onse gedestineerde reijse na Cabo de Boa Esperance te bevoirderen, sonder eenigh ander landt offte haven (mogelijck sijnde) te doen soecken, op hope d’ Almogende ons gesont volcq laten behouden ende een voorspoedige reijse verleenen sal. Amen.
Aldus gedaen ende g’arresteert in ‘t schip den Drommedaris , ten dage ende jare uts.5
[Signed:] JOHAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1652.
[Signed:] DAVIT CONINCK.
[Signed:] JAN HOOCHSAET.
[Signed:] SYMEN TURVER.
[Signed:] P. v. HELM, Secrets.
Dese, ende meer andere nodige consideratien in bedencken geleijt ende vernomen sijnde, dat alle het volcq van de drie schepen noch fris cloeck ende gesont waeren, Is, na rijpe deliberatien ende conferentien van alles dat bedenckelijck was met goet overlegh bij eenparigheijt van stemmen verstaen, de gemelte eijlanden verbij te lopen ende ons beste te doen om op ‘t spoedighste onse gedestineerde reijse na Cabo de Boa Esperance te bevoirderen, sonder eenigh ander landt offte haven (mogelijck sijnde) te doen soecken, op hope d’ Almogende ons gesont volcq laten behouden ende een voorspoedige reijse verleenen sal. Amen.
Aldus gedaen ende g’arresteert in ‘t schip den Drommedaris , ten dage ende jare uts.5
[Signed:] JOHAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1652.
[Signed:] DAVIT CONINCK.
[Signed:] JAN HOOCHSAET.
[Signed:] SYMEN TURVER.
[Signed:] P. v. HELM, Secrets.